Lens replacement surgery can significantly improve your vision. Our experienced Vision Scotland surgeons will replace the natural lens in your eye with a small, clear synthetic implant called an intraocular lens (IOL). The focusing power of the IOL can be chosen to reduce dependence on glasses.
Lens replacement (RLE) is identical to modern cataract surgery. Both operations involve replacing the natural lens with an IOL. The only difference is that cataract surgery is performed to correct blur or light scatter caused by a misty natural lens; whereas RLE is performed to reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Under local anaesthetic eye drops, your Vision Scotland surgeon will make a tiny incision in your eye. With the use of ultrasound, your natural lens will be removed and replaced with an artificial lens. The whole procedure only takes about 20 minutes.
You will enjoy the best levels of care from your very first consultation at Vision Scotland. We will take time to get to know you and your vision before recommending any treatment. This is your opportunity to ask questions and discuss any concerns. It’s perfectly natural to be a little nervous, but with Vision Scotland, you are in friendly, expert hands.
(also known as Trifocal) lens surgery.
As the name suggests, multifocal lenses have near and far focus built into them, so perform well at all distances and could mean you don’t have to wear glasses at all after surgery.
Don’t worry, you won’t have to tilt your head to enjoy the benefits. Multifocal lenses come in many variants, all subtly different, and our experienced surgeons are experts at ensuring you have the right one to make the biggest improvement to your vision and your lifestyle.
Toric lens implants are great if you wear glasses all the time and suffer from astigmatism. They work by counteracting the effects with a rugby ball shaped lens surface, that when positioned correctly within your eye, cancels out the effect of your astigmatic rugby ball shaped corneal surface.
This ‘toricity’ can be added to standard lens implants as well as multifocal lens implants – and your Vision Scotland surgeon will be able to go over all your options at your consultation.
Vision Scotland lens replacement surgery cost between £3,190 and £3960 per eye, depending on the type of lens implants you choose. But this figure can rise to just over £4,000 if you need a more specialist lens.
The two procedures are exactly the same – where your natural lens is removed and replaced by an artificial lens. Once you have lens replacement surgery, you will never develop cataract in the treated eye.
Yes, once it is done and all healed, the benefits are permanent.
About four out of five patients are completely free from wearing glasses after RLE with, widely used, contemporary trifocal IOLs. If you do need help from glasses after surgery, it is usually for a specific activity such as reading small print in low background lighting.
Nothing really. Your Vision Scotland surgeon will simply pause until your tears have cleared and you’re ready to continue.
Lens replacement surgery is a great way in improve your vision, but there are many things to think about – such as your prescription, your age and your lifestyle. Vision Scotland would never recommend surgery if it wasn’t suitable, and will discuss all your options at your consultation. For those under 40, laser eye surgery is often the better option – if you are over 40, we may recommend lens replacement surgery if we decide between us it’s right for you.
